On the recent weekend on the Dog my worst suspicions were confirmed - ancient fixed gear is missing! I can't understand why someone would do this. Seeking info of the who, why, how, and where . . .
Pretty sure it wasn't anyone I know as it seems they weren't there during the recent attempt. I did not get on the relevant part to confirm at the time and they could not recall seeing it when I questioned them . . .

The two pieces are -
A very large bong buried deep in a mess of mud and rubble such that it looked like the cliff had grown back over it. Parts of the metal on one side had failed and it was probably best slung then clipped. I don't know that it was from the first ascent but certainly from the 70s era, and gradually decaying since. Generations of climbers have climbed past it admired and used it, or ignored it. It was history, part of the ambience of the place - right up until fairly recently. Some one has removed and done what? Taken it home as a 'souvenir' or just dropped it down into the scree?? Why??

The other piece was a buried hex, again seemly eaten by the cliff in such away that extraction isn't the first thing that springs to mind when you look at it; regurgitation, aversion or thoughts of mum are far more likely. Again owner unknown, vintage unsure but probably late 70s/early 80s. By the 90's the sheath on the cord was completely missing, though a full complement of functional inner strands remained, albeit a bit furry in spots on some. For aid purposes it had obviously been acceptable to the people before I got there and I accepted that, knowing it was not simply to going to fail catastrophically under body weight. By no means an absolutely necessary piece, but a handy giveaway as you got into a short wide section. For most people it would not have inspired much confidence and would be used with trepidation or ignored, but it did prove itself to still be good when Zac and I were working it a few years ago. Whereas one week Zac had clipped it then found good wire above it and unclipped the hex, the next week he failed to find the good wire placement and peeled off onto this 'dodgy as' piece. It held without complaint, passed the test with flying colours.

Will have to dig deeper through my library of photos in the hope that there state was documented otherwise the history of it all will be lost, undocumented.
I would also love to learn the circumstances - did the gear actually finally fail? I find that hard to believe but would love to hear details.
But the fact that they have been completely removed suggest that they didn't and were in fact removed by either a leader or seconder, again I would love to hear details, rationale etc
I just really can't understand the reasoning behind this action, I can kinda imagine the sorts of persons who might do this sort of shit and would love to hear there side . ..
As often happens with the march of 'progress' history get stolen, trampled or lost; I just don't want it happening on my watch, on my cliff . . .

So if any one knows or has heard anything i would love to get details . . . .
Also if anyone else happens to remember these pieces and has photos or stories I would love to hear those as well . . .

I have no idea but my first impressions when reading this were that some climbers wanted to climb it and fancied putting some gear there...more so the hex than the bong though. Its a big cliff in a small world so half a chance you find this once stuck mank.

Ed - packed with mud and rubble only. For the young'uns and those who learnt to climb in a gym, the 'Bong' we are talking about is a very wide piton not a device for administering medical cannabis....

E - I agree, you have no idea.... It doesn't make sense any way because there was pro already there that was acceptable for previous climbers, removing it would basically destru the placement and there is gear available above and below it. Also the bong may have been removed for the same purpose, bong or hex doesn't really matter . . .

Mabs - when it comes to Doggie I am the ethics police . . .

Dr - putting in unnecessary modern fixed pro is a completely different bucket of biners to removing historic dodgy looking fixed pro on an historic adventure cliff, it's chalk and choss....

CaptM - your thinking modern Greenpoint bongs, this was old school trad bong, see above ....

Just yet another slip down the slippery slope of 'modern climbing'. The more climbing 'progresses' the less history it retains, and even less of substance is created. When the past is so easily trampled what respect should I have for modern creations ....

I got lotsa old skool booty on my rack and/or museum....whatsya problem? We're all gunna die someday...the cliffs will take a bit longer to die (half their luck) no matter how much junk we chuck into them in the meantime.

Oi macca, I had the relics, but I gave them to eduardo just to upset you. Don't worry about them though, as eddy tells me they will be put to good use next easter At The Araps Orientation Program unless committee chairman simey decides otherwise.

I reckon if simey knocks it back, then you would do well to monitor ebay an gumtree adds.

Info found!!
It would seem it died an honourable in-service death after all , I'm just out of the loop at the moment....
Apparently it blew under body weight as a local climber stepped up on it a few years ago ....
I guess the decay is exponential after all. I think it was left in the 70's. In the 90's it was already missing the sheath part of the cord, worn away from rubbing the rock in the wind, yet strangely still inspired confidence compared to the placements otherwise available. Over a decade later, not looking much more decayed, it would surprisingly hold a falling Zac when we were working out the first free ascent. And then 5 or so years later it blows under body weight?
Not a bad innings, all things considered ...

Beard stroking over, you may return to your modern climbing discussion....